Got caught in a 40-foot surge off the coast of Newfoundland last November because I ignored the marine forecast

My buddy's umbilical got yanked sideways and his reg freeflowed for a solid 30 seconds before we could surface, so now I check the buoy data every single morning before a dive has anyone else had a close call from skipping the weather report?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_wendy19d ago

Oh man, that's terrifying! I've definitely noticed this same pattern everywhere, not just with diving. People think "it probably won't be that bad" and skip checking the simple stuff, like weather reports or traffic maps or even expiration dates on food. It's like we all have this little voice that says we're the exception, you know? That 40-foot surge is a brutal way to learn that the forecast isn't just suggestions. Your buddy got lucky his reg freed up, but that could have ended way worse. I swear, taking five minutes to look at the data is way less painful than fighting for your life in cold water.

kellymurphy19d ago

Wait hold up, his reg freed up by itself? That's insane, I've never heard of that actually working out. Usually if a regulator gets jammed or frozen, you're just stuck breathing nothing until you can grab a spare or do a buddy breathe. Your buddy must've had some crazy luck or maybe a newer model that's designed to shake off debris easier. Still, trusting a piece of gear to unclog itself while you're getting tossed around in a surge sounds like a total nightmare.